Seahawks Notebook: Sherman plays through appeal

Seattle Seahawks' Richard Sherman comes down with an interception ahead of San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver Randy Moss in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Seattle. The Seahawks beat the 49ers 42-13. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

SEATTLE - Richard Sherman should miss practice more often.

Seattle's starting cornerback missed two days of practice this week, but showed little rust in his team's convincing win over San Francisco on Sunday.

"I definitely need practice," Sherman said. "I need to see the looks and get prepared. That's something that helps you. And luckily our coaches did a great job of sending me all the tape, sending me everything I needed, and I was able to get prepared on the road."

Sherman did not practice with the Seahawks on Thursday and Friday in order to attend his appeal with the NFL, set up to contest a four-game suspension levied by the league for allegedly violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy.

First reported by ESPN, Sherman argued that a broken cup is to blame for his positive test.

But if Sherman was stressed out by the pending decision, he didn't show it. The Stanford product returned a Red Bryant blocked field goal 90 yards for his second touchdown of the season, hauled in his team-leading seventh interception and finished with five tackles and four pass deflections.

"It's not that weird," Sherman said. "I'm from the inner city. I'm from a bad place, and adversity is something you always have in your life. And you just have to meet that adversity head on. I've done it my whole life, and this is just another opportunity."

According to the ESPN report, Sherman stated during his appeal hearing that the cup containing his urine specimen was leaking, and that the collector responded by placing a second cup underneath it to capture any leakage.

Sherman also stated that the second cup's seal already had been broken before being used to stop the leakage from his cup. And since the second cup's seal was broken, the chain of custody also was broken, therefore nullifying Sherman's positive test for Adderall, according to the report.

Sherman and his representatives argued that his tested urine sample was contaminated as a result of the second cup.

"There was a chain of custody mistake," Sherman said. "There were mistakes made by the tester. The league's argument was that they are allowed to make mistakes, and they are allowed to break the rules. They can get away with it.

"It's up to them. The appeal officer is paid by the league, so if it goes their way, that's what it is. It's not an even playing field in that appeal room."

There's no timetable on when the NFL will announce a decision, and Sherman said he doesn't know when he'll receive a decision.

One thing Seattle can look forward to is the return of Brandon Browner, who has just one more game to serve on his four-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing substance policy.

Rookie Jeremy Lane started his second game in place of Browner, finishing with four tackles.

Chancellor's reputation proceeds him

Kam Chancellor might be the hardest hitter in the NFL. Unfortunately, he's also becoming one of the most penalized.

Chancellor leveled San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis near the goal line early in the first quarter. The jarring hit knocked Davis to the ground and out of the game with a concussion. It also drew flags from two referees.

Chancellor was called for hitting a defenseless receiver. He most likely will get fined for it.

The Virginia Tech product earned $60,000 worth of fines last season.

"I think it was a legit," Chancellor said. "Of course, the defensive player is always going to say it's legit, but I think it was an honest legit hit. The ref told me I lunged. I didn't feel like I lunged."

Replays of the hit showed Chancellor not leaving his feet, leading with his shoulder and hitting Davis mostly in the chest. But the definition of what a defenseless player is is up to the referee.

That past includes two fines last year for what the NFL viewed as illegal hits. "It's frustrating during the moment," Chancellor said. "But after that play you move on and keep going."

Chancellor did that deliver three more punishing hits, none of which drew flags.

Also

Offensive lineman John Moffitt was a surprise addition to the Seahawks inactive list before the game. The second-year pro had started five games this season, including two at right guard since James Carpenter went on the injured reserve list after re-injuring his surgically repaired knee. However, Moffitt had been splitting time with rookie J.R. Sweezy. And with Moffitt a healthy scratch, Sweezy, a seventh-round selection in this year's draft, will start his second game this season. Sweezy started the season opener at Arizona. "We made some choices there, so he was the odd man out on that one," Carroll said about Moffitt. ... Walter Thurmond and Marcus Trufant, who both practiced on Friday for the first time this week, also were placed on the inactive list. Both are nursing hamstring injuries. Trufant missed his fifth game, while Thurmond misses his second straight game. Carroll said he expects both players back next week. ... Others on the inactive list include cornerback DeShawn Shead, defensive lineman Jaye Howard and offensive linemen Rishaw Johnson and Mike Person. ... Former Seahawks defensive lineman Sam Adams raised the 12th Man Flag before the game.